Subscribe To

Friday, August 15, 2014

Michael Brown's killer has been identified for the press and the public. But in the press conference conducted by Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson, there was scant information about the actual shooting and its immediate aftermath, and an awful lot about Michael Brown being a suspected thug who had allegedly participated in a strong-arm robbery at a convenience store, stealing cigars.

The Washington Post's Wesley Lowery confirms that no information about the shooting was included in the information packets provided to the media.

Info handed out ONLY about alleged robbery. NO info included about interaction with Officer Wilson, the shooting. — @WesleyLowery

Not handed out: a use of force report, any police report written by Officer Wilson, any narrative of shooting — @WesleyLowery

The fact that Ferguson cop Darren Wilson was the shooter was almost an afterthought in this press conference. The main point was to say that Brown stole cigars before the shooting, and that Wilson was apparently on the look-out for him. What also should have been communicated to police from the 911 dispatches, however, was that the cigar store robbery was not an armed robbery. Wilson, who ultimately found and killed Brown, should have known—even if he was apprehending Brown as the robbery suspect—that he was unarmed. He certainly knew he was unarmed when he shot Brown, according to witness accounts. Brown's empty hands were in the air when he was fatally shot.

The alleged robbery is a red herring. At issue is why Brown was fatally shot. Even if he was a robbery suspect, that doesn't mean it was legal for Wilson to shoot him as he was surrendering.